Pump for evaporative air coolers or the like



Jan. 11 1949. G. c. RL JDD El AL' 2,459,097

' PUMP FOR EVAPORATIVE AIR COOLERS OR THE LIKE Filed April 5, 1947 5 h I ,6 mzuzmmmm I J CBWR/GHT IN VENTORS ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 11, 1949 OFFICE PUMP FOR. EVAPORATIVE AIR COOLERS OR THE LIKE Gene C. Rudd and Cornelius B. Wright, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application April 5, 1947, Serial No. 739,710

1 Claim.

This invention relates to pumps such as those used in evaporative cooling units.

An object of the invention is to provide, in a pump of the referred to class, a construction and arrangement which is more efficient than corresponding pumps now in use.

A particular object of the invention is to provide an efficient combination fan and cover which will prevent water from dropping on the electric motor to prevent shorting.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a pump having a centrifugal impeller, means whereby the friction load of the fluid is materially reduced with reference to pumps of the same general type.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in addition to the foregoing, fan cooling means which draws air upwardly and outwardly over the motor so as to cool and prevent fluid from accumulating on the same.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an exemplary form of the invention, wherein:

Figure l is an elevational View of a pump embodying the features of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on lines 2-2 of Figure 1 and showing the relative positions of the combination fan and cover, the electric motor, pump impeller, and related parts.

Figure 3 is a broken bottom plan view of the fan and cover.

Figure 4 is a broken bottom plan view of the base and impeller housing and showing the relative position of the impeller blades with respect to the outlet, and

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the impeller and showing the pitch of its blades.

Accordingly, the form of the invention illustrated includes an annular base I having an opening recess 2 in the bottom thereof, and preferably includes three equally spaced feet 3 around the base perimeter.

Concentrically mounted on the base I there is a cylindrical housing 4 having a cup shaped combination fan and cover 5 above and over the upper end of the said housing.

Within the housing 4, and mounted for operation about a vertical axis, there is an electric motor 6 having its lead wires I through the side of the said housing and a resilient washer in the latter, said wires being connected with the motor connections 8 (only one of which is shown). The motor 6 is mounted upon 0 shaped brackets 9 which are secured at their lower ends to the base I by screws I 0.

The sides of the housing 4 are provided with openings II below the motor 6 and may include strainers I2 of wire screen or the like.

A fan shaft I3 extends upwardly from the motor 6 and secures the referred to fan and cover 5 in place. The last referred to arrangement includes a fan hub I4 which is concentrically and rigidly mounted through and beneath the diametric center of the fan 5 and secured to the fan shaft I3 by means of a set screw I5. The blades I6 of the fan 5 are in the form of vertically disposed and inwardly directed louvers or vanes, and are positioned for drawing air over the motor 6 between the same and the inner wall of the housing 4, and outwardly through the said fan blades.

An impeller shaft I! extends downwardly from the motor 6 through the axial center of the housing 4 and into the recess 2 of the base I where there is mounted, by means of a screw I8, an impeller I9, having radially and horizontally disposed blades 20. An impeller housing 2| within the base cavity 2 is secured by screws 22, to the base I and covers the impeller assembly I9.

An integral angular projection or boss 23 is positioned on the upper surface of the base I and near the impeller housing wall 2I. An outlet tube 24 is connected with the boss 23, which is hollow, to provide communication between the said tube and the interior of the impeller housing 2I. As shown in Figure 5, the impeller blades 20 are angularly disposed with respect to the shaft I1 so as to provide pitch to the impeller assembly I9, the direction of pitch being of such that it tends to lift the fluid within the housing 2I rather than to throw it to the side as in conventional centrifugal pumps. The

last described arrangement tends to reduce the.

friction loads occasioned by the action of the fluids aganst the inner wall of the housing 2|.

Details of construction illustrated include a guard 25 around the lower motor shaft I! to prevent water from entering the said motor.

In operation, the pump is placed within a level of water which is less than theheight of the guard 25. Water enters the housing 4 through the housing openings I I and fiows downwardly into the impeller housing 2 I after passing through an inlet 26 in the base I. As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the inlet 26 accommodates the vertical shaft I1, and is offset with respect to the said shaft to permit adequate flow therethrough. When the motor 6 is actuated, the action of the impeller blades is to raise the water into the and cover secured to the upper end of said shaft, 1

vertically disposed louvers in the periphery of of said fan, an impeller housing mounted beneath said base, impeller blades within said impeller housing and secured to the lower end of said shaft, fluid inlet means in said base and coin-'- municating with the interior of said impeller housing, fluid outlet means in said base over said blades and asymetrically positioned with 4 respect to the center thereof, and the said blades being angularly disposed for directing the action of the same toward the said outlet.

GENE C. RUDD. CORNELIUS B. WRIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 130,609 Bowen Dec. 2, 1941 1,651,881 Frickey et a1 Dec. 6, 192'? 5 11812874 Hedglon July 7, 1931 2,066,727 Ardrey July 2, 1935 2,295,982 Widman Sept. 15, 1942 2,308,335 Mackey et a1 Jan. 12, 1943 

